My first 2022 release review is the self-released and self-titled album from Canada’s Maule.  This four-piece act plays straight up balls to the wall heavy metal.  9 songs just shy of the 40 minute mark.  “Evil Eye” opening up the album and Iron Maiden are a true inspiration for this band – think vintage Maiden, 80’s era Iron Maiden.  The band incorporating some fun nicknames as Jakob “Riddle of Steel” Weel has a great set of pipes and can belt out those metal style vocals with vim and vigor. A few quick paced parts, but the guitar melodies are vintage Maiden and are done quite well, especially some of the guitar soloing, I thought it was Dave Murray leading the charge on those solos.  Excellent guitar riffing, nice organic sounding drums equipped with a catchy chorus, which repeats several times.  The main guitar riff is incredible.  I can hum it all damn day.

“Ritual” is up next with a nice main guitar riff, which incorporates a guitar solo early on in the tune.  The vocalist, has a raspier tone on this particular track, as the song plods along, in true NWOBHM glory.  So yeah, you will hear a little vintage Judas Priest and on the main riff on this track I notice a mix of not only Maiden, but Mercyful Fate.  Not as dark as Mercyful Fate, but the sound is there, which again puts a big smile on this writer’s face.

The shortest song on the album, “Red Sonja”, is under 3 minutes and wastes little time, as the screams come in with ripping opening double bass drums.   Thunderous, even.  The song gallops in a fashion, akin to power metal. The band doing a nice off kilter speed of the fast guitar picking, to a mid-paced speed drum speed.  If the song was to pick up to a speed metal quickness, it would not be out of place, as that’s how fast the picking is, however the band opts to go into a different time signature, as the song is mid-paced.  Again, very creative use of the various speeds and the song slows down towards the end with a cool little ditty of a guitar solo and some ending pounding drums.

“Father Time” is close to six minutes and is the longest track here, with opening pounding drums and a nice drum roll, before an excellent guitar riff sweeps in and this is a slower paced song.  You know at times, the singer, for some reason, reminds of Tony, the singer from Municipal Waste.  The way he screams and sounds, maybe a little Nuclear Assault as well, listen to the singer’s tones.  While he is rooted in trad metal style, his influence of those 2 bands, shows he likes to listen to some faster paced music too.  Regardless, these are more subjective observations, which you may not agree with, but I’m just pointing out some various sounds/tones these ears are hearing at the moment.  If I missed the mark, feel free to say Mr. Franktank-what on earth are you rambling about now?  Back to the tune.  The end of the song, has a nice guitar crunch and the song takes on a more menacing/doomier tone.  The guitar harmonies and solo ending the song really add depth and style to the song.  Nicely crafted.

“We Ride” ends as the second longest song on the album.  Terrific main riff and vocals.  I forgot to mention the bass guitar, so I need to mention the bass is audible and provides nice depth to the rhythm section.  This is a great song to end the album.  More of an up-tempo and “happy” sounding metal track.

If you’re into some more of the newer heavy metal bands, like Eternal Champion, or even Herzel, out of France, (shout out to fellow writer Steve Kuntz) I feel you will dig this band.  This is really solid Heavy Metal.  Well written and the songs are crafted in a way as to tell anthemic and solid stories.  If you like classic NWOBHM, then I am sure this band would fit nicely into your metal collection.  The album cover is darker toned than what the band sounds like-the cover looks more akin to a Hooded Menace album cover, and is really killer.  Give the band some support, like their FB page and Maule are a damn fine young metal band!

[Visit the band's website]

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